[Report] "From Home to Mall, Only Indoors... No Courage for Outdoor Activities in Scorching Heat." [Two Faces of Heatwave]

Crowded Department Stores and Shopping Malls
Indoor Summer Retreat and Outing Amid Heatwave
Shopping for Summer Vacation Items + Dining in One Building
Weekend Department Store Sales Jump 28~49%

On the afternoon of the 17th, Starfield Goyang in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi Province is crowded with people.

"In this sweltering heat, I can't even think about going outdoors with my two kids. When we go out by car, we often look for shopping malls where we can move indoors without sweating."

On the afternoon of the 17th, when the temperature exceeded 30 degrees Celsius and there was a sudden shower, the atmosphere was muggy at 'Starfield Goyang' in Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do. Crowds densely filled the escalators on each floor. Those who went on a cool 'shopping mall outing' with children and pets under air conditioning headed to the mall's restaurants carrying shopping bags in both hands. Long waiting lines formed at restaurants and cafes. Shopper Park Minju (37, pseudonym) said, "I get tired of staying at home, but it's hot outside, and I don't want to cook in front of the stove, so on weekends, my family often comes here to shop together."

On the same day, the restaurant area at Lotte Department Store Main Branch in Jung-gu, Seoul, was also crowded with shoppers looking for dinner. At some popular eateries in the basement level 1 'Food Avenue,' many were waiting for seats to become available. Lee Jaemin (43, pseudonym), who was waiting in line, said, "I heard this place has delicious kalguksu, so after shopping for sunglasses, I came here to have dinner. Since it's hot and moving around is difficult, I plan to have a cup of coffee at the department store after the meal before heading home."

In the past, it was the 'bank,' but nowadays, it's the 'shopping mall.' The early arrival of the heatwave has significantly increased the number of 'indoor vacationers.' As the heatwave began, people who used to visit nearby parks with one-touch tents and camping chairs with their children are now heading to cool shopping malls. They avoid the heat, shop for fashion items for the upcoming summer vacation at nearby department stores, and eat and drink in the same building.

This change is also reflected in the numbers. Last weekend, major department stores such as Lotte, Shinsegae, and Hyundai saw sales growth rates of 28% to 49% compared to the same period last year. Sales of popular categories like fashion and outdoor gear surged sharply. During this period, Lotte Department Store recorded notable growth rates of 70% in perfumes, 55% in infant and toddler products, 45% in leisure (outdoor), 45% in overseas fashion, 35% in women's fashion, and 30% in men's fashion. Especially, with minimized movement during the heatwave, customers who 'stop by for a meal as well' increased, causing food and beverage (F&B) sales to soar by 80%. Hyundai Department Store also saw F&B sales growth of 62.9% in the same context. Golf sales rose by 43.5%, young fashion by 36.3%, and men's fashion by 33.6%. Shinsegae Department Store also experienced significant sales growth with women's fashion up 84.6%, men's fashion 59.5%, outdoor 62.5%, and luxury goods 35.3%.

On the afternoon of the 17th, shoppers crowded the basement level 1 of the Lotte Department Store main branch in Jung-gu, Seoul.